The first thing you need to do is figure out what you have to offer prospective employers. The following exercise will help you do that, and it will come in handy later on when it comes time to put together your CV and covering letter.

Take a sheet of paper and list out all the skills you think you have, paying special attention to any particular knowledge or experience that might differentiate you from other job candidates. This isn't about the specific work placement you had during university, or the individual classes you took - this is about the skills you learned at that job and in those classes that you can transfer to other fields.

Take a sheet a paper and list all your skills.

For example, presentations done in class will have taught you oral communication and public speaking. Group projects might have taught you leadership skills such as delegation and coordinating. Your part-time job pulling pints at the local will have taught you communication and sales. If you're struggling to list more than a few, see our section on dealing with lack of experience to see how you can find skills you may not even know you have!

It is the height of Graduate Scheme season and you will (or you should) be sending out applications to all your dream positions. But not so fast. Application forms are perilous and you will be competing against hundreds and sometimes thousands of other graduates - So you need to keep your mistakes to a minimum.

MI5 is responsible for keeping the country safe against national threats. Many people might see the role of an Intelligence Officer (IO) as something reserved for elite individuals from top universities. In reality, it’s a lot more accessible than the books and TV shows would have you think.